Bill Johnson
by Emmint
Summary: Matt Dillon receives a message from Jim Crown saying he caught a murderer wanted for a killing in Dodge. Matt is too busy to go, so he sends his new deputies Heyes and Curry to fetch Bill Johnson back to stand trial.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Festus Haggens stopped by the telegrapher's office to see if there were any messages for US Marshal Matt Dillon, Barney Danches handed Festus a telegraph for Matt. Usually Barney would have told Festus what the telegraph was but he was so busy he didn't have time. "Seems like everyone in Dodge is getting messages," he said just as the telegraph came to life. "Here comes another," Barney sat at the desk, listening carefully.

"Sure thang, Barney, you got any fer Doc and Miss Kitty?"

"None for Miss Kitty but Doc's is the left hand pile, thank you Festus, just seems like I ain't got time today," Festus picked up Doc's telegraphs and left. He saw Doc outside Delmonico's and gave him the telegraphs.

"Thank you, Festus," Doc said.

"Barney's thet busy, he don't know if he's coming or going."

"For Barney that's unusual, but you that's your normal state of existence."

"Na, Doc, you know'd thet ain't so."

"Well, I've got to go out to the Walsh place this afternoon."

"Ruth Ann," Doc nodded, "any sign of thet baby coming yet?"

"Nope, nearly a month overdue, I might have to induce the birth."

"I know Injuns have ways of doin' it, cain't rightly recollect what though."

"Well, you tell Matt if I'm needed where I'll be."

"Sure thang, Doc," Festus said and continued on his way to the Marshal's office, he entered. "Marning, Hannibal, Jedediah. Matthew, Barney only had this one telegraph fer you, today," Heyes poured coffee for everyone. "Matthew, I jest saw Doc, he said to tell you, he'd be out at the Walsh place."

"Ruth Ann gone into labor yet?"

"Nope, Doc said he might have to give her something to make her give birth," Matt read the telegraph.

"Marshal Crown of Cimarron, has found Bill Johnson, he's got him locked up waiting to be picked up. Heyes, Curry, you go get him," Matt said. Heyes and Curry rose and left crossing to Moss Grimmicks they saddled up and took enough supplies for a week, they mounted and headed west.

Heyes and Curry rode up to the Wayfarer's Inn covered in trail dust, they dismounted and tethered their horses. "Beer, Heyes?"

"Yeah, once we've seen Marshal Crown," they entered the inn and walked up to Jim Crown who was enjoying a beer. "Marshal Crown, I believe you've got a prisoner for us. I'm Deputy Marshal Hannibal Heyes and this is Deputy Marshal Jedediah Kid Curry, Marshal Dillon sent us to pick up Bill Johnson."

"Good, I'll be glad to get him out of my jail," Jim Crown said.

"Is he that bad?" Curry asked.

"It took six of us to get him in the cell," Crown led them to the cells, "and he hasn't calmed down yet," Bill lunged at the bars. "You better learn, Johnson, those bars are too strong."

"It's too late to start back today, we'll leave tomorrow morning, and you better come peaceably or you'll be going belly down over your saddle," Heyes said.

"Well, I'll buy you a drink," Crown said, they returned to the bar. "You want whiskey or beer?"

"Beer, nice and cold."

"Make that three beers, Mac?"

"Coming right up, Jim," MacGreggor said he brought the beers down.

"Mac, this is Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, they're deputies for Matt Dillon."

"Aye and how is the Marshal of Dodge?"

"He's good. Jim, did he tell you about his kids?" Curry asked.

"No, I didn't know Matt had any children."

"Yeah, he recently discovered he had ten year old twins from a relationship he had when he was a sheriff before he came to Dodge," Heyes said. "A boy and a girl. He told you about Mary, the girl those Comancheros left for dead?"

"Yes," Jim took a sip of beer, thinking what he'd do to anyone who harmed Dulcey.

"She adopted him as her father, which is good for her and him, when he's out on the trail she looks after the twins and keeps the house," Dulcey came towards them, she said she'd got two room ready for them and showed them upto them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The next morning Dulcey served up breakfast of bacon, eggs and fried bread. "Dulcey that was delicious," Heyes said, "seems to me all the good cooks are in Arizona and Kansas," Dulcey just smiled.

"Heyes, I'm not sure I'll be able to get on my horse, with all the good food we've had," Curry said.

"Right," Heyes rose, "we ought be getting that prisoner, let's see if he wants to go peaceably or not."

"Frances, go get the horses ready," Jim Crown said.

"Yes, sir," Frances left to get Heyes and Curry's horses plus the prisoners horse ready. Jim Crown, Heyes and Curry went into the jail.

"You remember what I told you last night, which is it to be belly down or sitting upright?" Bill Johnson looked like he wanted to argue the point but then thought better of it.

"Upright," Bill said in a begrudging tone of voice, Heyes pulled some fetters out he handed them to Bill.

"You know what to do with those," Bill put the fetters on.

"Heyes, your silvery tongue has done it again," Curry said, they led Bill out to the horses, they mounted. "Marshal, if we come this way again we'll be sure to look you up."

"You do that, and the name's Jim. You tell Matt I said howdy and maybe I'll pay him a visit one day."

"We will," Heyes said as they started out.

It was getting towards evening of the third day when they made camp, Heyes hunted up some jack rabbits while Curry made the coffee. "You two are sure lousy cooks," Bill said, "I've eaten better in prison."

"You don't like the food pass it back, but you'll go hungry for the rest of the way back," Heyes said, Bill grumbled but ate the food.

"Rider coming," Curry said, Heyes nodded.

"Hello the camp," the man called out.

"Howdy, stranger, light down and have some coffee we got some jack rabbit, you can use too," the man dismounted and tethered his horse well away from Bill Johnson.

"Ah, I wouldn't want your flea bitten nag anyway," Bill said.

"Disrespecting my horse will earn you a kick in the teeth, but I think you're in enough trouble already."

"He's going back to Dodge for a murder trial," Curry said.

"My name's Brady Hawkes, I'm headed for Dodge too, figure to play a little Stud."

"I'm Hannibal Heyes and my partner over there is Jed 'Kid' Curry. We're Deputy US Marshals out of Dodge City."

"Seems I've heard of you up in Wyoming, weren't you both the other side of the law? I heard you'd got amnesty, Lom Trevors is a friend of mine too."

"Well, it's a small world, isn't it, Heyes," Curry said.

"Sure is," Heyes poured coffee for Brady and proffered up some roast jack rabbit.

"Thanks, I tell you that's going to hit the spot just nicely," they bedded down for the night. Bill Johnson grumbled a lot when they woke him early.

"Shut up, Johnson," Heyes said, "a Pawnee war party just rode by," they were silent as they readied their horses for the journey to Dodge.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As they rode out of the trees, Heyes looked in the direction the Pawnee war party. "They're headed away from Dodge, we should be alright," Heyes said, Curry was looking towards Dodge, he saw the smoke, too much for a campfire.

"Heyes, there's a ranch burning over yonder," Curry said.

"Johnson, we're going to have to ride fast, you better make your mind up which way you want to go," Heyes said

"Are you kidding, it's you or them Pawnee. I got no chance with the Pawnee, there is a chance I'll be cleared at trial," by the time they got to the ranch it was nothing but smouldering ruins, the only thing left intact was a wagon. The hands lay where they'd fallen a man and woman were in the house. "Murderin' redskins didn't leave a lot, did they?"

"They never do," Brady Hawkes looked around he saw the door to the root cellar. He stood slightly to the side and lifted it, he peered in to find six frightened faces peering right back at him, two boys and four girls. "You're safe now, come on up," Brady and Curry helped the kids out.

"Looks like we got a wagon here, could we hitch the horses to it?" Bill asked.

"We'll do that right after the burying," Heyes said, they got their shovels and started to dig, the parents were the last to be buried. Bill fashioned some harness out of the ropes on their saddles, attaching the horses to the wagon.

"Ain't got enough rope to make long reins, best thing I can figure is two of us ride them horses in front. Even then we'll have to ride slow," Bill said, they loaded the kids into the wagon and set off Bill and Brady rode the front horses while Heyes and Curry cared for the kids.

"Bill, when we get back to Dodge, we'll let Matt know how you helped us, it maybe that we can help you out some."

"You know I actually didn't commit murder, it was self-defence. Only thing is the only witness to it hate's my guts enough to lie about it."

"So you ran," Curry said.

"Only thing I could see as a way out," the kids were crying. "Don't you kids worry we'll get you to Dodge."

"You kids know any songs?" Heyes asked, they shook their heads. "Well now, this one is easy, here I'll sing it for you then you can join in."

_'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free_

_'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,_

_And when we find ourselves in the place just right,_

_'Twill be in the valley of love and delight._

_When true simplicity is gained,_

_To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,_

_To turn, turn will be our delight,_

_Till by turning, turning we come 'round right."_

"Looks to be a good place to make camp for the night, up ahead," Bill said. "And them kids look like they could do with a good nights sleep."

"They could probably do with a good feed too," Curry said.

"Well, we've got the things we found in the root cellar," Bill said.

"Good, we'll camp here and go on to Dodge tomorrow," they pulled the wagon to a halt near a wooded area. Curry and Bill got a fire going they started to make coffee and cooked up some bacon and beans, they served up the food to the kids and gave them water. While they had coffee with their meal, Heyes and Curry bedded the kids down in the wagon. They stood a round the clock watch to guard against any Pawnee surprising them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next morning they set out again travelling eastward. "Heyes, do you remember when we first met Matt?"

"Yeah, Miller's Crossing relay station should be near by, the one we got the wagon from to get Matt home that time."

"What time was that?" Brady asked.

"Before Matt became the Marshal for Dodge, he was a sheriff up in Hell's Corner, Colorado. He had girl there, but she had a sick mom, she didn't tell him but she was carrying his baby. As it turned out they were twins, before he left he had to kill a man in a fairfight," Heyes went on to describe all that had transpired in those two weeks prior to their meeting Matt.

"When we met him he was trailing the man on a black and white paint, that man rode right over our fire nearly killed the Kid, Matt gave us his coffee, bacon and coffee pot. He rode on, we was fixing on going on but we heard a shot come from where Matt would be so we rode after him, he was trapped under his horse, hurt. We got him on a travois and rode to Miller's Crossing got a wagon there met up with one of his deputies and then on to Dodge. Turned out the man was the son of the man Matt had killed in Hell's Corner. That man murdered Matt's old flame, he didn't get the twins the Sheriff saw to that.

"We stayed on as deputies, we were still wanted back then but when we telegraphed Lom to ask for his help. He told the Governor of Wyoming what we were doing and we got the amnesty we wanted. It all turned out well, though Matt had to kill the man, couldn't leave him alive really."

"Did the only thing he could to keep his family safe," Brady said.

"Yeah, those twins are as smart as buttons really cute, the boy takes after Matt, the girl well Matt says she takes after her mother," Curry said.

"Hey, Fellas," Bill called out, "Miller's Crossing Relay Station just ahead," the kids clung to Heyes and Curry.

"It's OK kids, we'll be able to get harness here and then we'll be able to go a little faster to Dodge City and maybe we'll be able to get something to eat here too," they dragged the wagon over the bridge into the yard of the relay station. John Stevens, the Station Master, came towards them.

"What happened?" John asked.

"A Pawnee warparty attacked a ranch, the kids were in the root cellar. The wagon was all we could find that was intact. Bill jury rigged some kind of harness out of our ropes, it's taken most of yesterday and today to get this far."

"Well now you get them kids inside and my wife will make 'em something to eat. You going to need some proper harness, I can let you have enough for two of your horses," John said.

"Thanks, that'll do it. Bill you want to help out here."

"Don't see why not," Bill dismounted and started to undo the ropes, Brady gave him a hand, they tethered their horses while John Stevens fetched the harness and they harnessed Brady's and Bill's horses to the wagon. "Thanks for the loan of the harness, Mr Stevens," Bill said.

"That's OK, young fella, now you best get in and have something to eat," Bill and Brady followed John Stevens into the house, Heyes and Curry were dishing out plates of stew to the kids. "Where's Meg?" John asked.

"She's putting some salve on her hand, she scalded it a little she'll be fine. We said we'd dish up so she didn't hurt it further. Mr Stevens why don't you and your wife come into Dodge with us?" Curry said.

"No, son, this place is secure enough and we have the stock to think off and I know my wife she won't leave me. You take care of them kids now."

"We will," Heyes said, after the meal was over they got the kids back in the wagon, Brady and Bill sat on the front seat, while Heyes and Curry rode their horses. Bill slapped the long reins and they set off turning left once they were over the bridge.

"I don't suppose them kids have any family left in these parts," Bill said. "They'll send 'em to the State Asylum for Orphans in Topeka."

"We had a grandfather in Virginia, I heard momma talking about him once."

"Well you tell Marshal Dillon that, and he'll try to find him for you," Heyes said. They started off with the horses cantering trying to get to Dodge before anything happened. Four hours later they pulled up in front of the Marshal's office. They got the kids out and led them into the office. Matt looked up as they entered eyebrows rose to see the kids.

"Well I see you brought more than Johnson back," Matt said.

"Yeah," Heyes said. "Pawnee attacked a ranch, these kids are all that's left," the kids peered shyly at the marshal then ducked behind Heyes and Curry. "Matt, I think they're scared of you."

"Me, why?"

"He's a giant," the eldest boy said.

"I've been called that before," Matt said his memory flashing back to family he'd met on the prairie once, their kids and thought him a giant too.

"Kids, this is Marshal Dillon, you tell him about your grandfather."

"Heard Momma talk about him once he's in Virginia," the eldest boy said.

"Virginia, do you know anything else about him," the kids shook their heads. The eldest boy turned and kicked Brady Hawkes in the shin.

"Hey! What was that for?" Brady asked.

"Fun!"

"You little devil, you were mine I'd give you a damn good spanking. Maybe we should have let the Pawnee have them."

"Johnson, didn't give you any trouble?"

"Not a bit, glad we had him actually," Heyes explained how Bill had helped get the kids to Dodge.

"Good. Johnson, I've got some good news for you. The murder charge has been dropped seems O'Toole the man you killed was wanted you've got eight hundred dollars coming to you if you want to claim it."

"You bet I do, put it towards the money I'm saving to buy a farm," out of the corner of his eye Johnson saw the eldest boy move his leg. "Kick me boy and you will get a spanking."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh wouldn't I, try me. Now you tell Marshal Dillon your name."

"James Martin," the eldest boy said. "Momma said he was our Pa's daddy. Said they left cause he was too strict and a mean drunk, I was named after him," Doc Adams, Festus and Miss Kitty entered expecting to drag Matt to Delmonicos for Lunch.

"Wael now, don't tall me more young uns of your'n, Matt?" Festus asked.

"I don't think so," Brady said, "I don't think a Marshal's kid would go around kicking people in the shins," he sent a pointed look at James.

"You little rapscallion, didn't your Pa ever tell you it wus wrong to do that?" The boy shrugged.

"He did, I don't care."

"Where's their folks?" Festus asked.

"The Pawnee killed them," Heyes said.

"Doc, you want to give them a clean bill of health," Doc opened his bag and had them line up. He used his stethoscope to listen to their chests.

"Well, Matt, they've got some of the strongest hearts I've listened to in a while," the eldest girl grabbed hold of Miss Kitty's hand.

"You're awful pretty," the eldest girl said.

"Why, thank you," Miss Kitty said, "You're pretty too."

"No, she ain't she's just a girl."

"How old are you, James."

"Ten, so what?"

"Well, when you get to the age of sixteen you'll be more interested in girls than kicking people in the shins."

"No I won't girls are boring."

"Festus, get a telegraph off to Richmond, Virginia. Ask them if they know of a man called James Martin who has family in Kansas and if he's or is there any other family they know of."

"Do that right now, these kids need family."

"Yes, ones that can apply firm hands to young bottoms," Festus left quickly, he returned soon after.

"Barney said he'd bring the reply as soon as Richmond telegraphed it."

"Good, meanwhile I'll get them to my place and they'd better behave or I'll move them back here and house them in the cells," Matt led the kids down to his house with the help of his deputies and Bill Johnson. Amos Mckee met them on the sidewalk.

"I was just coming to see you Matt."

"Howdy, Amos, be with you in a moment," young James kicked Amos. Bill Johnson grabbed James up.

"You little devil, this is going to hurt you more than me," he sat down upended James over his knee and spanked him.

"You said you'd spank me if I kicked you, I didn't kick you, that's not fair."

"It's perfectly fair, I've got a feeling that Amos's spanking you would have hurt you more."

"Better believe that, boy. I take it they're not yours, Matt?"

"Their parents were killed recently by the Pawnee. Apparently there's a grandfather they've never met in Virginia."

"Well, kid, my trail hands'll be in tonight, you kick them and you'll be spanked so hard you won't sit down for a month," Matt led the way to his house, Mary hugged Amos. "Well now, Mary, you get prettier every time I see you."

"Matthew, I'll go see if Barney's got a reply yet."

"Fine, you do that," Festus was about to go when Barney came up with the reply.

"Marshal, their grandfather's dead, but they do have a cousin up in Wyoming, they telegraphed him. He'll be here tomorrow, seems he's the ramrod on the Shiloh ranch up near Medicine Bow. Goes by the name of the Virginian, up there."

"Thanks Barney."

"I've heard of him, tough as nails, just what those young uns need, especially young James there. Plus the owner of the Shiloh ranch is a Judge name of Garth, so James you better start minding your manners," Amos said.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The Virginian had fond memories of his cousin Peter, not so fond memories of Peter's father. He was glad for the kid's sake that Judge Garth had said they could come and stay, but worried that they might not like it on the ranch. He stood as the train pulled into Dodge City got his gladstone bag and moved to the observation platform ready to step down from the train. Festus watched him as he approached, he certainly didn't look like a ramrod, but then neither did Matt when he was wearing his Sunday best, the only thing that told people he was the marshal was the badge on his jacket. "Howdy, Deputy, I'm the Virginian, you must be waiting for me?"

"Sure am, right this way, I tell you them kids are looking forward to meeting you. Well, maybe not James, he's got a lot learning to do."

"In what way?"

"He seems to think it's funny when he kicks people in the shins. Only one he hasn't tried kicking is Marshal Dillon. Maybe he know'd Matthew would warm his behind fer him if he did. Bill Johnson did yesterday when he kicked Amos Mckee, he's a trail boss from Texas."

"I'll be doing the same if he tries it with me," the Virginian said. He'll have to get out of that habit, because the hands on Shiloh Ranch won't have time to be watching him round the clock," Festus led the Virginian into the Marshal's office.

"Matthew, this be the Virginian," Festus said.

"Howdy, the kids are at my house, being looked after by my foster daughter Mary."

"HEY!" Festus looked out the window.

"Oh, oh! James just kicked one of Amos's trail hands. Looks like he's about to get it but good."

"Come here! You little pip-squeak I'm going to whale the living tar out of you!" The cowboy grabbed James up.

"Davies," Amos called out. "Take him to the Marshal."

"Right! But it would sure give me satisfaction to give him a whaling," Davies carried James right into the office. "This little runt's kicked his last man," he put James down, James made a dash for the door but the Virginian grabbed him.

"Hold it, right there, young man. You and me are going to come to an understanding," the Virginian said.

"Let me go, you big ape," James kicked him, the Virginian sat by the table turned James over his knee and spanked him, until he howled. James stood rubbing his hands over sore buttocks, tears running down his cheeks.

"I'm your cousin, all of you are going to come to live up on the Shiloh Ranch. Judge Garth is going to let you live in the house until I've built bigger quarters for us all. He won't tolerate this behavior so make your mind up. The next train to Medicine Bow isn't for another two days you've got till then to think on it. Marshal Dillon, I sure want to thank you for putting my cousins up and all."

"James, you go back to the house, Mary will have a meal ready for you by now," James nodded sullenly and walked out still rubbing his behind. Amos Mckee watched thinking that the boy had just been spanked good and proper, only he thought it was Matt who'd delivered the spanking, until Matt and the Virginian came out, James looked back at them.

"James, you do as the marshal said or do you want another spanking?" James ran the rest of the way.

"I hate you!"

"He'll come around. Come on I'll buy you a drink," Matt led the Virginian to the Long Branch. "Howdy, Kitty."

"Howdy yourself, Matt."

"Virginian, this is Kitty Russell owner of the Long Branch."

"Of course, you're the cousin of those delightful children," Matt grunted and said something under his breath.

"Ah, James. I take it you've already had to administer due punishment."

"He's not going to be sitting down for a while," the Virginian said.

"First drink is on the house. What'll you have?"

"Beer, thanks," the Virginian said, Festus and Doc entered and came over.

"Doc, Festus," Matt said, "this is the Virginian."

"I just seen young James a running to your place, he sure was crying."

"Not surprised after the punishment he just got, for kicking a trail hand and me," the Virginian said.

"Well, not as if hadn't been warned by me, Matthew and Amos Mckee. But I think it wus a little more'n that."

"You know for once, he's making sense," Doc said. "His behaviour could be as a result of losing his parents like that," Heyes and Curry came in with Newly, Bill Johnson and Brady Hawkes.

"Virginian, these are my deputies Heyes and Curry they found the kids with Bill Johnson and Brady Hawkes. Newly is another of my deputies," after a couple of drinks Matt led the Virginian to his house. The Virginian noticed that James was sitting on the edge of his chair while he ate the meal that had been prepared by Mary. After the meal, the Virginian took James to one side.

"You want to talk about what's ailing you, boy?" James sniffed. "If your daddy was the same as when I last saw him. You must have loved him a lot. Festus said he asked you whether Peter had told you it was wrong to kick," James nodded. "You said that he had but you didn't care. Is it true that you don't care?" James shook his head, burst into tears again and threw himself into the Virginian's arms. "That's it you cry boy."

"But cowboy's don't cry," James said, still sobbing.

"Don't you believe it, cause they do, if it's serious enough and losing your folks is that serious," Matt smiled wryly because while James's brother and sisters had cried he hadn't. Two days later Matt stood on a windy station as the train for Wyoming pulled in. "Thank your deputies for me will you," the Virginian said.

"Absolutely. You think James will be alright now?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, we'll keep him so busy he won't have time to dwell too much on it," Matt helped the Virginian get the kids settled. He watched now as the train pulled out and returned to his office.

"Train get off alright, Matthew?"

"Yes, they should be enjoying life on the Shiloh Ranch in three days time," Festus poured coffee for everyone.

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

**Hope you enjoy this story which crosses Gunsmoke with Alias Smith and Jones, Cimarron Strip, The Gambler and The Virginian.**


End file.
